Adjusting device



June 14, 1927.

L. E. BALTZLEY ADJUSTING DEVI CE Filed Nov. 925

2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR June 14, 1927.

L. E. BALTZLEY ADJUSTING DEVICE Filed Nov. 14. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2will/[77717171711110 Patented June 14, 1927. I

clf ilTED STATES LOUIS n. BALTZLEY, or GLEN nrnen, rinw zrnrisny.

Anausrrno nnvron.

Application filed November Special objects of this invention are toprovide asimple, prac ical and inexpensive mechanism for the adjustmentand control of such instruments as variable condensers and the like, andwhich mechanism will be in a form readily adaptable to meet differentrequirements.

The invention is particularly applicable for use as a radio control andin this connection a special feature of the invention is theconstruction of the operatingmechanism of the device as a single unitand the provision of such unit with various forms of indicatorsinterchangeably usable with the unit. This construction, for example,makes it possible to employ the same operating unit as a radio controlboth in that style of set where the indication is provided at the frontof the panel as well as in the more advanced styles where the indicationappears at the back of the panel.

The various novel features of the invention by which the foregoing andother de sirable objects are attained are set forth in the followingspecification and broadly claimed. 7

The drawings forming part of the specification illustrate practicalembodiments and uses of the invention, but the structure is subject tovariations without departure from the broad spirit and scope of theinvention.

Figures 1 and 2 are part sectional front and side viewsof the bareoperating unit, Figure 1 in effect being a section taken on line 11 ofFigure 2.

Figures 3 and 4 are front and side views of the unitwith a cover orshield applied thereto and serving as a pointer traversing a suitablescaleon the front of the panel.

Figures 5 and 6 are similar views showing the applied cover or shield asa dial member carrying a scale for registry with a marker on the panel.

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view illustrating the applied cover orshield as a scale at the back of the panel and readable through asuitable window in the panel.

Figures 8 and 9 are detail views of the rear and central portions of theoperating unit. Figs. 10 and 11 are sectional details of the. scalestructure. r

The operating unit consists in the illustration of central roll 10having a beveled inner end 11 engaging the correspondingly beveledlarger ends 12 of rollers 13 grouped about the axis of roll 10 andhaving smaller rollers about the central axis.

1 j usted.

14, 1925. $eria1 No. 68,949.

beveled ends let engaging a beveled track 15. This track is shown havinga friction pad 16 bearing against the face of the panel 17 so that whenthe center roll is turned by means of the knob or handle 18 on the outerend of the same, the rollers 18 will turn atreduced speed and byengagementwith the track will effect a bodily rotation of the I Thiscentral axis is represented in the present instance by the shaft 18which may be the shaft of a condenser or other instrument to be ad- Therollers 13 are rotatably and slidably mounted on studs 19 shown ashaving shoul dered ends 20 secured on an annular back plate 21 byriveting at 22. This annular plate thus forms a. carrier for the rollersand has provision for affixing it to the shaft to be operated,consisting here ofa setscrew 23. To insulate the structure from thecondenser shaft, a collarof insulating material 24 is shown asinterposed between the supporting plate and shaft. This insulatingmember is shown as carrying at its center, a sleeve 25 of a size to slipover the shaft and the set screw 23 is indicated as extending through.the insulating member and the centersleeve so as to directly engage theshaft. The supporting plate 21 is shown fastened to the face of theinsulating collar or hub-by securing screws 26. V

The central actuating roll 10 is rota-tably and slidably journaled onthecenter sleeve 25 and is shown as held in tractive engagement wlth theends of the surrounding roll ers by a spring washer 27 seated in acavity 28 in the face ofthe knob beneath a washer 29 engaged by the head30 of a split screw 31 entered'in the outer end of the sleeve.

The central knob or handle roll 10, the washer 29 which carries thespring. and the adjusting head 30 of the spring tensioning screw 31 areall shown as made of insulating material so that hand operation andadjust ment of these parts will not electrically affect theinstrumentto'which the device is attached. a f 1 7 The effect of thespring, Washer being to shift the center roll inwardly into tractiveengagement with the outer ends of the surrounding rollers and to forcesaid rollers inwardly into engagement with the traclnit will be observedthat adjustment of 'the tension of this spring by means of the'thumbscrew 31 will have the effect of varying the tractive' engagement of theactuating roll with the traveling rollers, the engagement of the rollerswit-h the track and the engagement of the track with thepanel.Consequently, after the device has been secured upon the shaft, theparts may allbe set at the desired tractive pressure by means of thissingle adjustingiscrewb To gain compactness and reduce the amount ofinsulation required, the insulating hub is shown as countersunk-in itsouter face at 32 to admit the inner end ofthe actuating roll and ashaving its sides cutaway at the backat 33to receive the larger ends ofthe rollers' and enablethe same to contact the inner end of theactuating roll. The central insulator 24isthus in the nature of aspider, with a hub portion-fixed on the cente-r sleeve with threeradially and forwardly 1 pro ecting arms carrying'the roller supportingannulust The annular track is automatically centeredby the'inwardthrust of the tapering rollers and so requires nospecial centeringmeans; This track-is shown as formed of a sheet metal ring cupped toprovide the beveled track surface at the insideand to provide-anoutstandingperipheral flange 34. S r1n metal ch )s'or stra s are shownas held' between the arms of the central insulator-"and the back of-th'esupporting plate 21 thedevice is complete as thus far described.

By turning the knob 18, very fine and gradual adjustn'ients may beeffected and there being no gears, there is an ent'ire-absence ofbacklash and lost motion, enabling adjustinents ofextreme accuracy "anda smooth continuity of motion in eitherdirection. For quickadjustments'the entire unit'may be turned asby grasping the mechanism inback of the knob, for instance, by engagement of the fingers'with theclips 35, the trackin such cases simply slipping over the face of thepanel or other part which it engages; If a pointer or indicator isdesirable for inclicatingfthe position'of the mechanism ad'- justed, oneor more of theclips may be lined or otherwise marked to serve as such,as indicated at 37', or the set screw 23-by which the-unit is secured onthe' shaft, may

. be utilized as apointer.

It; is preferably, however, to cover or piece or in a number-of pieces.

shield the operating partsof thedevice to keep out dust and give thedevice a more finished appearance. In such a case the cover or shieldmay be utilized as an indicator.

In- Figures 3 and 4 the shell or cover 38 is shown as of generallyfrustoconical shape having: a: substantially flat front wall 39, Figure9, engaged directly over the face of the supporting ring 21 and providedwith an inwardly extending annular flange 40 at the center enteredwithin said ring to center the shell thereon. Screws 41 are shownextending through the front of the SllGlldIltO the ring or plate 21 tosecure the shell thus centered, in position at the back of the knob 18.The conical skirt portion of the shell extends inwardly over the rollersand track and for indication purposesis shown provided with anoutwardlyextending pointer 42 at the base of the same. The shell travels with theoperatingunit in the adjustment of the same so this pointer" mayregister with a suitable scale or indications provided on the faceofthe' panel.

If desired, the shell may take the form of a dial, as indicated at 43inFigures 5 and 6, where the same is shown as having a wide outstandingflange 44' carrying a scale or other desired indicia',

To meet requirements for an'indicator atthe back of the panehthe covermay be in the form of a shell'45 projecting forwardly througha-corresponding.opening 46 inthe panel and carrying in back of thepanel, a flange 49 marked with suitable designations visible through a:window 50in the panel.

"Under these conditions the-track 15 may engage the face of the bracketor support'47 for the condenser'or otherinstrument, which bracketcustomarily is secured either. to the back of the panel or to thebaseboard of the instrument, as indicated atv48. Two scales may beprovided on the flangeof the shell extending in opposite. directions andadapting the device for either right or'left hand operations. Theconicalportionof'the shell which projects forwardly throughthe panel is ofsufficient depth to afford a-convenient grip for the quick adjustment ofthe device and-the knob serves as before,-asoperating means for securingfine adjustments.

The unitary construction of the device,.independent of any dialstructure makes it readily adaptable to any special dial orpanel.requirements and enables the manufacture ofthe device as astandard unit adaptable to many special uses. The shells maybe made upin various colors and shapes and be constructed of different materialssuited'tothe purpose.

They also may be made up either in one Figures 10 and 11 showindetailhow theshell may be made: up of abody or coverj'portion 497 andlUU aback or rim portion ,the latter having an acutely angled flange 51at the inn-er edge of the same adapted to be sprung into agroove 52 inthe rear of the cover shell If desired, an annular scale or indicator 53may be clamped in between the meeting faces of these two parts. Thismethod of construction allows for the selectionwof different 1. Anadjusting device comprising a me tallic sleeve, a hub of insulatingmaterial fixed on said sleeve, an open center flat metallic ringattached to said hub, rearwardly projecting pivot studs fixed on theback of said ring, rollers slid-ably journaled on said studs at the backof said flat ring, an actuating roll journaled on the sleeve at thefront of the hub projecting rearwardly through the open center of theflat ring and engageable at its inner end with the forward ends of therollers and a track engageable by the rearward ends of the rollers.

2. An adjusting device comprising a sleeve, a hub of insulating materialfixed on said sleeve, a ring attached to said hub, pivot studs carriedby said ring, rollers slidably journaled on said studs, an actuatingroll journaled on the sleeve at one side of the hub and engageable atits inner end with the for ward ends of the rollers, a track engageableby the rearward ends of the rollers and clips for loosely retaining thetrack, said clips being secured between the hub and ring.

3. An adjusting device comprising a sleeve, a hub of insulating materialfixed on said sleeve, a ring attached to said hub. pivot studs carriedby said ring, rollers slidably journaled on said studs, an actuatingroll journaled on the sleeve at one side of the hub and engage-able atits inner end with the forward ends of the rollers. a track engageableby the rearward ends of the rollers and retaining means for the track,said means be ing yieldable to release the track from its engagedrelation with the rollers.

4;. In an adjusting device, a supporting ring, means for securing thesame upon the shaft of an instrument to be adjusted, rearwardlyprojecting pivot studs carried by said ring, rollers slidably journaledon-said studs, an actuating roll journaled to engage at its inner endwith the forward ends of the rollers, a track engageable by the rearwardends of the rollers and means for re leasably confining said track tothering to cause said track to hold the rollers slidably confined on thestuds; i r

In an adjusting device, a flat metallic supporting ring, means forsecuring the same upon the "shaft of an instrument to be adj usted,rearwardly projecting pivot studs fixed onsaid ring, rollers slidably journaled on saidlstuds, an actuating roll journaled to engage at-itsinner end with the forward ends of the rollers, a track engageable bythe rearward. ends of the rollers and a cover detachably secured overthe front of the ring and extending rearwardly over the rollers.

G. In'an adjusting device, a supporting ring,.means for securing thesame upon the shaft of an instrument to be adjusted, rear- -wardlyprojecting pivot studs carried by said ring, rollers slidably journaledon said -stnds, an actua-tingroll journaled to engage at its inner "endwith the forward ends of the rollers, a track engageable by the rear- 7ward ends of the rollers and a cover centered on the ring by having aflange entering prising a flat metallic supporting ring at tachable tothe shaft of an instrument to be adjusted, a set screw behind said ringfor variably securing said'ring to theinstrument shaft, a shellremovably attachable to said ring and providing a cover about the sidesof the same and over said set screw, rollers journaled on the ring andhoused within the shell when the shell is in place, an actuating rollhaving ,a handle at the front of the removable shell and j ournaled toengage at its inner end with the forward ends of the rollers and a trackengageable by the rearward ends of the rollers and means forfixedlysecuring the shell to the ring whereby when said shell is used itmay be employed as a handle for bodily rotating the metallic supportingring. v

8. In apparatus of'the character disclosed,

a'panel having an opening, a member in back of said panel opening, atrack having a slipping engagement with said member, a handle, speedreducing drive'means operated by said handle and engaging said track anda cover over said speed reducing drive means extending forwardly throughthe panel opening.

. 9. In combination, a panel having an opening and amember at the backof said opening, an adjusting device having quick and slow adjustingmeans and having a sliding connection with the member at the back of thepanelopening, said adjusting device extending from the member at theback of the panel and having said quick and said slow adjusting meansprojecting forwardly through said openin 10. Anadjusting devicecomprising rollers grouped about a central axis, a holder on whichsaid'rollers are journaled in bear- (ings providingfree axialself-adjustment of end on the outer ends of the rollers and hav 111gatelts outer end, an actuatlng. handle, a

track engaged bythe inner ends of therollers, sard track and the holderbelng relatlvely rotatalcleandonehanng means accessible fordetachablysecuring the same on the part to be adjusted and a cuppershell detachabl r mountedon the holder in back of the actuating handleand extending rearlou cover, an outstanding annular flange secured vtothexbac'k of said vcover and a scale czlalnped between the meetmg facesof the cover and flange, the parts 'helng secured 1n this relation :byan acutely angled shoulder on :the flange entering a groove in the back.026 the cover.

12. In apparatus of the character disclosed, a dial structure comprisinga hollow cover having an internal groove at the back of the same, and anannular flange having an acutely angled shoulder entered in said groove.v

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 26th day ofOctober,1925 LOUIS E. BALTZLEY.

